Review – Take Me Deeper (Texas Bounty #1) by Jackie Ashenden

Even as a Green Beret, Zane Redmond hasn’t faced a tougher mission than going home again. Loyalty to his brothers is the only reason he’s back in Texas, not that he intends to stay for long. Zane sure as hell isn’t going into the family business. One last bounty and he’s done—or so he thinks. Nobody warned him that his fugitive happens to be a red-hot brunette with a smart mouth, a body made for sin, and a brutal cartel on her trail.

Bad circumstances and worse choices have left Iris Callahan in a desperate situation. After getting arrested for a drug drop gone wrong, she skipped bail and hit the road to avoid testifying. Now the cartel wants Iris silenced forever, and she’s just lucky that Zane catches her before they do. Handcuffed to a bed, she surrenders to the cool-as-ice bounty hunter in order to survive. But as the chase heats up, Zane sneaks past her emotional defenses—and Iris is in too deep to let him go.

I received this book for free from the Publisher or Author in exchange for an honest review, or I purchased it with my own funds. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Ashenden always deliver a good story with well-defined characters and Take Me Deeper is no exception. The Redmond brothers are gritty. They’ve had it tough and all have chips on their shoulders. Zane certainly doesn’t want to come back and work for the family bounty business.

Iris has had it equally rough in different ways. She’s gotten herself into such a hard spot for all the right reasons. Despite her upraising, she’s still capable of great love and responsibility to her sister but it leads her to make a really bad decision.

Zane has a hero streak a mile wide and can’t stop himself from trying to save Iris. Iris has been burned by too many people in her life and is adamantly opposed to trusting anyone. She has no interest in letting Zane help her. When he hides her instead of turning her in to the authorities, the time they spend together allows them to realize just how much they are attracted and that they like each other.

Ashenden escalates the suspense when the already risky plan to clear Iris and get the her off the cartel radar is blown by the drug dealers who want her dead.

The book has a well-paced story, a sweet romance and hot sex making it an enjoyable read.